


But for now, it’ll stay that way

by prinz_charlie



Category: We Are The Tigers - Allen
Genre: Gen, eva helps farrah, farrah helps eva, they joke, they're best friends because, what else does a person need
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2019-10-16
Packaged: 2020-12-20 18:07:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21060926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prinz_charlie/pseuds/prinz_charlie
Summary: Eva has a few problems, Farrah does as well. Good that they're best friends. Because a best friend will always be there.or: The Eva & Farrah are best friends AU





	But for now, it’ll stay that way

Eva shot Farrah a meaningful look. “Come on, she’s trying her best.”

Farrah rolled her eyes in return and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “You don’t know her the way I do.”

“Don’t pull that card on me again”, Eva murmured and looked up again, to follow Riley’s instructions.

“Ok, well. I think we’ve got it now, right?”, Riley beamed in front of them, clutching onto her clipboard. Her voice had the usual cheerful tone it always had.

Everyone nodded and murmured their ok’s. Even Farrah muttered something that vaguely sounded like an approval of Riley’s requests and Eva grinned at it.

“Good”, Riley grinned. “Well, that’s it for today guys. Don’t forget to meet me here after school tomorrow and we’ll go over everything again.”

“We don’t have to go over it again, we know it”, Farrah complained, taking a swig from the bottle in her hand. Eva punched her arm lightly and took the bottle from her. Farrah faced her with a look of surprise and wrinkled her forehead but leaned back, scoffing slightly. “Good, whatever”, she muttered.

“Was that really that hard?”, Eva grinned at her triumphantly and Farrah rolled her eyes.

“You’re only lucky that I’m in a good mood.”

“That’s what you call a good mood?”, Eva frowned.

Farrah shook it off and stood up. “Forget about it. Are you coming with me or what?”

“Actually…”, Riley’s sugary voice interrupted, and Farrah and Eva looked at her. “I wasn’t finished yet”, Riley smiled.

Farrah sighed and sat down again. “She’s a nightmare”, she muttered.

Eva rolled her eyes. “Will you leave her alone already? In the end she’s the reason I’m here.”

As always, neither of them listened to what Riley was saying. Right after Eva had transferred to Giles Corey High, she had always been the first person to help Riley whenever she was asked to and payed attention to her the most. But even she had to admit, that talking to Farrah was far more interesting. It was amazing, how they talked nearly every day and still always found a new topic to discuss.

“See you tomorrow?”, Kate’s voice ripped her out of her thoughts, and she turned around to face Kate, who was sitting next to her.

“Sure, ice cream after practice?”, she smiled, and Kate smiled back.

“Absolutely.”

She kissed her cheek briefly and got up.

Farrah made a gagging noise. “Jesus, you two are nearly as horrible as Clark and Annleigh.”

Kate rolled her eyes. “Do you have a problem with that?”

“Kate, calm down”, Chess now took Kate’s hand and pulled her back a little. “I’ll give you a ride home, come.”

Eva thankfully smiled at her and swiftly kissed Kate’s knuckles, before letting go and waved Chess and Kate goodbye, when they left the gym.

“Girl, you’re totally head over heels for her”, Farrah commented.

Eva turned around to face her. “Jealous?”, she asked grinning.

Farrah let out a laugh, nearly choking in the process. “You may be my best friend, but I’m definitely not jealous of… that.”

Eva let her hands wander over her heart in an exaggerated gesture. “I’m your best friend?”, she said, pretending to hyperventilate and fanned herself.

“Not if you don’t give me my bottle back”, Farrah deadpanned, and Eva sighed.

“There.” She handed her the bottle and checked the time. “Now come or we’ll miss the bus.”

Farrah groaned. “Why do we have to take the fucking bus?”

“Annleigh offered to drop us off at your house before going off with Clark, but you refused”, she grinned.

Now Farrah was the one who lightly punched Eva’s arm. “How dare you reminding me of that?”

“Sorry, I heard that that’s what friends are for.”

Farrah fell silent. Eva laughed and with that they walked to the bus station without saying a word, only sometimes grinning at each other and making each other laugh without a reason.

\-----

Farrah let the door fall shut, before Eva had even entered the house and turned around, frowning. “What the hell, come in! Or are you a vampire and need me to invite you?”

“You threw the door into my face”, Eva replied dryly, barely biting back a laugh and opened the door, went in and closed it behind herself.

“Whatever. Want to go to my room?”

Eva nodded. “Sure.”

Shortly after Farrah had sat down on her bed and let her head dangle from the edge.

“Aren’t you worried that you’ll get a headache from that?”, Eva questioned, walking over to Farrah’s bag and taking the bottle containing the questionable liquor out of it.

“It’s the only way to stop thinking, if you won’t let me have my bottle”, Farrah replied dryly.

Eva sighed. “Cut it with that crap.”

She bent over and pulled her phone out of her bag. “Just quickly calling my dad”, she explained, putting Farrah’s bottle into her own bag. “I don’t want him to cook for me. Wait, I’m staying over, right?”

“Of course”, Farrah sighed. “Did someone shit into your head or why are you forgetting every single thing I tell you?”

“You might want to think about that, Miss I-let-my-head-dangle-from-a-bed-because-my-best-friend-whom-I-constantly-bully-won’t-let-me-have-my-bottle”, Eva smirked proud of herself.

Farrah immediately sat up. “I’m, not bullying you!”

Eva let out a laugh. “I was kidding, calm down.” She turned around and made her way out of the room, already pulling up her father’s contact.

“Might want to call at work and ask them for a free pizza!”, Farrah shouted.

“Definitely not”, Eva laughed and closed the door behind herself.

* * *

Only two hours later both girls were sitting on the floor leaned against Farrah’s bed and taking the last slice of pizza from each of their cartons. Farrah automatically reached for the bottle next to her and took a swig, immediately feeling a little lighter. Normally just talking to Eva did the job to get rid of her worries and thoughts, but now that they were watching a movie that was a whole lot harder.

She was too tired to make any snarky comments like she normally would have, so she took yet another sip. Farrah heard Eva sighing next to her.

“Don’t tell me you’re drinking again.”

Farrah put the bottle down. “I’m not.”

Eva tilted her head and looked at her in disbelieve. “How many times do we have to talk about this?”, she asked, stretching out her hand.

Farrah shrugged. “Until you accept that it won’t change?” She took one last sip from the bottle before closing it and handing it to Eva. “Haven’t you ever drunk before?”

Eva shook her head, shaking the bottle a little to check if any liquor was left in it and then put it down. “Why would I?”

“It feels great”, Farrah grinned. “Makes you feel all… I can’t even describe it, you should just try.” Farrah knew, that what she was talking was rubbish, but Annleigh always told her that whatever she said was rubbish anyways so what did it matter?

“I won’t”, Eva stated. “Alcohol does a kind of damage to people that I don’t want to happen to anyone. Especially not you.”

Her tone ended the conversation and they both returned their attention back to the movie.

“Do you want some popcorn?”, Farrah asked only a few minutes later out of nowhere.

Eva shrugged. “You don’t have to make it, I’m ok without it.”

Farrah grinned and stood up. “But you want it”, she stated snickering. “Be right back.” She glanced at the TV one last time to understand what scene was playing and then left her room.

As soon as the door fell shut behind her, she leaned against the wall and squinted her eyes to stop seeing double. These were the effects she didn’t like.

Her thoughts became easier to handle, but everything she saw became a ton more complicated.

One of the times she had experienced it the strongest had been right after she had gotten her concussion. For days afterwards she had refused to even put the bottle away from her nightstand and always carried her flask with her.

Somehow, she had needed a way to handle the whispers. She didn’t like that alcohol was that way, she hated it, in fact.

But she hadn’t figured out the secret to stopping yet.

She made it to the kitchen and put popcorn kernels into a pot, turned up the heat and leaned back against the counter, pulling out her phone. The first things that greeted her on her lock screen were three missed calls from Annleigh.

She focused on the name and called her back.

“Farrah! Why in god's name didn’t you pick up?!”, Annleigh shouted.

“I was watching a movie”, Farrah explained, filling a glass with water and taking a sip. “Why?”

“Can you tell mom and dad that I’m staying at Clark’s house tonight?”

The noise of popcorn kernels popping open filled the kitchen and Farrah took a few steps to the side from the pot. Another sip of water made everything around her less wobbly and she focused on Annleigh again.

“They’re not even home”, she stated. “They’ll come home in like two hours or something.”

“Will you tell them anyways please?”

Farrah nodded before realizing that Annleigh couldn’t see her. “Sure, what do I get for it?”

Annleigh groaned at the other end and Farrah grinned. “What do you want?”

Farrah hesitated for a moment. What did she want? Well, she wanted to stop seeing double every few seconds, that was for sure, but she highly doubted that Annleigh would be able to help her with that. “You know what? Forget it. I’ll tell them. Anything else?”

“Farrah? Are you ok? Are you getting sick?”

“I’m not, trying to be nice”, Farrah shot back, surprised at how true it sounded.

“Oh, ok. Thanks.”

“Don’t get used to it”, Farrah replied.

She ended the call and pocketed her phone, took the pot with the popcorn and hissed in pain, before putting it down again and shaking her hand. She held it under warm water for a bit until it felt better and then poured all the popcorn into a green bowl.

“Farrah, are you ok?”, Eva asked from Farrah’s room, her voice coming closer.

“Yeah, stop worrying.” Farrah took the bowl and walked over to Eva. “Want to continue the movie or what?”

Eva frowned. “Did you drink again?”

A cold shiver ran down Farrah’s back and she shook her head. “No, I didn’t”, she answered honestly.

“Good, you really ought to stop. You’re so much more than alcohol”, Eva stated and took the bowl from Farrah, sitting down on the floor again to continue watching the movie.

Farrah shook her head slightly in disbelieve and closed her eyes for a second, to gather her thoughts. “Did you just mean that?”, she asked silently.

Eva looked up at her. “What?”

“That thing... that I’m more than alcohol”, Farrah explained. “Did you mean it?”

“Of course, I meant it”, Eva said, and Farrah sat down next to her. “You don’t have to hide who you are behind alcohol. You’re just as great without it.”

Farrah rolled her eyes. “You only say that because you never experienced me being sober.”

“Wrong”, Eva stated. “We’ve known each other for about four months now and in that time, I experienced you being sober so often, I can’t even remember.”

“Well how did you know I was sober?”, Farrah countered, playing with one of her plaits.

“You act differently”, Eva said easily. “It’s easy to notice. You’re way more present.”

Farrah frowned. As much as it scared her, what Eva said made sense. Secretly she wanted it to be true. And she wanted to always be “present”, as Eva had put it. But she didn’t know how to do it!

“Would you say you like me when I’m sober?”, she asked, nothing of the usual sarcasm left in her voice.

Eva nodded. “Of course. I’d be worried if I didn’t.”

Farrah nodded slowly. “You mean that?”

“Of course”, Eva repeated. “You’re a great person on your own, you don’t need anything else to be that awesome.”

Farrah’s heart felt a little warmer. “You’re a really good friend, you know that?”, she smirked. “Thank you.” The words felt strange on Farrah’s lips – not quite right. But she somehow liked it.

“Of course”, Eva smiled warmly and stood up. “I’m going to call my dad again, just making sure he knows that I’ll stay over.”

Farrah nodded. “Okay.”

“You don’t have to wait for me, by the way. You can go on with the movie.”

Farrah grinned. “Well then better hurry up, I don’t want to have to explain the whole plot to you.”

Eva laughed. “I will, don’t worry.”

She left the room and Farrah leaned back. She looked at the screen and rolled her eyes, when she found the movie still being paused at the scene that had happened, when she had left the room to make the popcorn.

Eva was so considerate.

It was fascinating, no matter how much she and Eva joked, she still somehow knew, that she could talk to her about everything. She trusted her. Farrah didn’t remember the last time she had trusted someone.

It was new, but she liked it.

\-----

The next few days Farrah worked on staying sober harder than ever before.

Eva noticed. She always grinned at her and nearly every day they decided to get ice cream after school, if neither of them was busy. Every afternoon that Eva spent with Kate, Farrah decided to research more about the effects of alcohol on the human brain.

She drank less every single day.

In her free time, she sent Eva countless memes and pictures of cats that made the dumbest faces, labeling them with “That’s you”. Eva always laughed at them and it only made Farrah feel better.

It had been hard to understand, but after a few researches she understood, that was what having a friend felt like.

She was embarrassed, that she actually had to look up the definition of a friend, but the moment she found out, that maybe Eva really was a true friend to her, had been the most relieving moment she had ever experienced.

It was the moment she had known for sure, that she wasn’t alone.

* * *

Eva ended the phone call after her mother’s voice mail had answered. Sighing, she pocketed her phone.

Her mother was probably just busy helping her brothers with their homework. It wasn’t a big deal.

Eva got up from the bench and looked around. Farrah wasn’t showing up, either. Eva should have gotten used to her showing up late, but she would probably never stop worrying about it.

She looked down at her phone to distract herself.

**Kate:** Want to meet up tomorrow after school? Ice cream, my treat.

She smiled at the message and opened it. An even bigger smile made its way onto her features, when she caught sight of all the other messages Kate had sent her the day before. They would probably never fail to brighten up her day.

Already responding, Eva remembered, that she had wanted to practice their routine and run a few miles to stay in shape. Her parents were so proud of her for being such a good cheerleader, she wouldn’t just let that go. And Riley always encouraged her to do her best and told her, how grateful she was for having her on the team.

Eva didn’t want to lose that value, whatever the cost.

But she agreed to Kate’s request. Because it would make her at least a little happier and that was the most important thing after all. Shortly after Kate had answered. 

**Kate:** Perfect, see you tomorrow (:

**Eva:** Absolutely :)

Eva put her phone away after looking at the time. Where was Farrah? Sighing, she tried calling her, but she didn’t pick up. Eva sat down on the park bench again and leaned back a little.

“Stop worrying”, she muttered.

Her mind wandered.

What if Farrah had started drinking again?

Her heartbeat increased for a second and she shook her head. She definitely hadn’t. She didn’t have a reason to! She had never looked drunk when Eva had met up with her, never! On the other hand, Eva was a master at hiding how she felt as well.

Restlessly her fingers thrummed onto the wood of the park bench and she looked around again. Farrah would be fine, nothing had happened to her. It was the only logical explanation.

Deep down Eva was scared. She would never show it but, she was so scared. Scared, that maybe this friendship wasn’t what she had thought it was after all - that it would turn out like all the other friendships did. At West High she had also thought that she had friends who’d always be there for her.

Then they started showing up late to their plans and then they didn’t show up at all.

And then Eva came out and everything changed.

Eva shook her head, shutting her eyes and tried to focus. She was the best flyer in the state, she couldn’t allow herself to feel this way! She wouldn’t allow it to herself. It was who she was after all, nothing about that had changed!

“Eva!”, a voice suddenly called.

She turned around abruptly and shot up from the bench. “Where were you? I was worried!”, she said, walking over to Farrah.

Farrah frowned. “Really? Why would you be?”

“You’re my friend”, Eva stated, coming to halt in front of the younger girl.

Farrah studied Eva’s expression for a few seconds, an odd look of disbelieve in her eyes, but then she shook her head and put her bag down, already searching for something inside of it.

“What are you doing? Didn’t we want to go to your place?”, Eva questioned, trying to get a glimpse of what Farrah was doing.

The younger girl straightened herself again, zipped her bag up and hid something behind her back.

“Farrah, what’s all this about?” Eva crossed her arms in front of her chest.

Farrah rolled her eyes. “Since we didn’t see each other yesterday, there you go.” She handed Eva a small package, an envelope on top of it.

Eva frowned and took it. “Thanks, but… what for?”

Farrah picked her bag up again and raised an eyebrow at Eva. “Are you hoaxing me? Come on, let’s go.”

Eva followed her, but still didn’t quite understand. “Farrah, not to sound rude or anything but are you ok? Do you want me to help you with anything? You can just ask me, you don’t have to get me a present!”

Farrah tilted her head, so she was facing Eva. “You really don’t have a fucking clue, right?” Eva confusedly shook her head. “We didn’t see each other yesterday, so I gave you a present today, what do you think is the reason for that?”

Eva’s brain got into top gear, but still she didn’t understand.

Farrah rolled her eyes and pulled her with her across the street to the next bus station. “Happy birthday, jerk.”

\-----

“You really didn’t have to get me anything”, Eva repeated, sitting down next to Farrah. “My parents only gave me a card as well, and that was about it. It’s ok.”

Farrah took a sip from the glass of water next to her. “You’re my friend and friends are nice to each other. I learned that from you!”

Eva sighed in a capitulating way and looked up from her hands, that she had been kneading a little. “Thank you.”

“It’s natural”, Farrah shrugged, leaning back against the bed behind her. “And that your parents didn’t get you anything is pretty shitty by the way.”

Eva’s heart stung a little, but she leaned back as well. “I didn’t ask them for anything”, she shrugged it off easily.

She was already enough of a burden, she didn’t want to ask for anything in addition to all the stress her parents had. Her brothers were already demanding enough, she would just keep being the awesome flyer she was. If she just didn’t ask for anything, she wouldn’t appear needy and everyone would like her. It was as easy as that.

“Eva!”, Farrah snapped, pretending to throw a punch at her face.

Eva drew back immediately but shook her head right after that. “Sorry, got a little lost. What did you say?”

“I said, that you really ought to snap out of it. You deserve a gift just as everyone else on their birthday.”

Farrah’s words were too easy for Eva’s liking. Too easy to be true. “My parents have other stuff to worry about, Farrah. And you don’t have to worry about me, as well.”

Farrah squinted her eyes. “See, and that’s the problem right there. You don’t want anyone to worry about you.”

Eva felt uncomfortable in her skin. She held onto the carpet for support. “Since when are you so empathetic?”, she asked.

Farrah only shrugged. “I haven't been drinking for the last three weeks”, she said.

Eva’s eyes widened. “Really? Farrah, I’m so proud of you!”

“I only managed it because of you”, Farrah said earnestly.

Eva shook her head. “That’s bullshit.”

“It’s not”, Farrah repelled. “You told me that you thought I was more than alcohol. And that’s what really got me thinking.” She hesitated for a moment before proudly looking up at Eva. “Thank you.”

“Of course”, Eva quickly responded. “I love seeing you this way. You really are so much better.”

Farrah nodded, the proud smile still slightly visible. “I know.” It faded and she looked Eva directly in the eyes. “But you aren’t.”

Eva’s heart stopped for a moment. “Will you please let it go”, she requested weakly.

Farrah shook her head. “Nope”, she said, popping the P. “Just accept that people care about you. And that you matter.”

Eva looked down. She had the feeling, that this time she wouldn’t be able to escape.

“And don’t let anyone tell you, that you’re not worth their time”, Farrah continued easily. She picked up her glass of water from the nightstand and took a sip. “Just don’t believe it. It’s not that hard.”

Eva wrapped her arms around herself. “Sure, easy for you to say.”

Farrah rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on.” She took another sip from the glass of water. “You’re the highest ranked flyer in the state, that just proves how worthy you are.”

“And what else am I?”, Eva laughed sarcastically. “What else?”

Farrah frowned. “What do you mean?”

“In case you haven’t noticed”, Eva sighed, “I’m nothing else than that. I’m the best flyer and that’s about it. It’s not actually a nice feeling, when everyone else sees you as that.” She swallowed hard. “And I don’t like attention as well”, she added.

“But you deserve it”, Farrah stated. “I never thought I needed the serious attention of someone, yet here I am, holding a glass of water instead of my flask, only because of you.”

Eva laughed a little. “Yeah, and I’m proud of you for that.” Her heart was still pumping the blood through her body as if she was running a marathon. “But I’m fine with things being the way they are.”

“Bullshit”, Farrah stated and put the glass down.

Eva swallowed hard so she wouldn’t let any tears fall. She hated crying, she absolutely hated it. Of course, she deserved better! Of course, but this was her life. And she was thankful that she even had a friend like Farrah.

“Why would you say that?”, she asked with a breathy voice.

“Because it’s true”, Farrah said easily. “We’ve been friends for pretty long now and I know you well enough to know, that you would’ve never told me about that, if you didn’t care.”

Eva let out a watery laugh to hide the pain.

“You’re worth so much more than what you think you are”, Farrah said.

Eva laughed again, a small tear escaping her this time. “Do you know anything else I’m good at besides being a flyer?”, she asked sarcastically. “Anything?”

Farrah nodded.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah”, Farrah nodded. “You’re a damn good friend.”

\-----

After finally having found peace and quiet in her room and all of her family had gone to bed, Eva read the card Farrah had given her for her birthday. It was simple, there wasn’t much written in it.

_I don’t like cards and shit, but happy birthday. You really are a great friend, don’t forget that. Thank you for being my friend._

Eva smiled a little at it and then opened the gift Farrah had given her. What she found inside, made her chuckle slightly. There was a small rubber ball inside of it, a card with a description next to it.

_Throw at me, if I drink again. But if you ever doubt yourself again, I’m throwing it at you._

She laughed, remembering the conversation she had had with Farrah. Never in her life would she have thought that it could feel so good, to be called “a good friend”. She looked at the box again and found something else in it.

It was Farrah’s flask.

With a sharpie a simple _Thank You_ had been written onto it. Eva smiled and picked it up, carefully placed it in a drawer of her desk and sat down on the mattress she used as a bed.

She reread the card, only now noticing the small note at the bottom.

_P.S.: Don’t get used to me being this nice_

It wasn’t much, but it was enough to make Eva know, that she had found a true friend in Farrah.

* * *

Farrah woke up in the middle of the night.

There was still a bottle left. Under the kitchen sink, there was still a bottle of wine. She had always hidden it as a kind of emergency reserve, but it would have to go now. She didn't want to have it in the house anymore.

Silently she got up and left her room.

“Farrah? What are you doing?”, Annleigh hissed, leaving her own room.

“Nothing”, Farrah immediately said. “You’re such a nag, go back to sleep.”

Annleigh closed the door to her room, so she was standing in the hallway with Farrah. “Nag? You already used better insults, you know that, right?”

Farrah nodded. “Either I use better words to insult you, or I stay sober, your choice.”

The hint of a smile flashed over Annleigh’s lips. Farrah thought that maybe she could even notice a hint of pride in her older sister’s expression. “You're doing too well to stop now. Stay sober”, she smiled, her tone suddenly having changed into something far gentler. 

“I will”, Farrah said earnestly.

Annleigh smiled at her warmly and went back to her room.

Farrah went to the kitchen, took the bottle and poured every single drop into the sink. It didn’t even hurt anymore - not like the first time she had done it. Right now, it felt good and relieving.

“Because I’m more than alcohol”, she murmured the words Eva had told her. “So much more.”

**Author's Note:**

> Huge thanks to @ughjaneseymour on tumblr. She was the one who had the idea that Farrah and Eva would be best friends in the first place and also huge thanks to @khowrds on tumblr for telling me to write it!
> 
> That's pretty much it folks! A few elements of this will appear in my next huge watt fic as well and I'm planning other one shots as well, soo I hope to read you next time, thanks for reading!


End file.
